Frequent naps linked to high blood pressure

People who take naps on a regular basis may be more likely to have high blood pressure, according to a study published in the September 2022 issue of Hypertension.

The study included about 360,000 people without high blood pressure or a previous stroke who were followed for an average of 11 years. Researchers collected data about their health and lifestyle habits, including four periodic surveys about how often they napped. They then divided participants into three groups based on their self-reported napping habits: never or rarely; sometimes; or usually.

Compared with people who said they never napped, those who usually napped had a 12% higher likelihood of developing high blood pressure and a 24% higher chance of experiencing a stroke. Most people stayed in the same napping category throughout the study. But among people who started napping more often over the years (moving from never to sometimes or sometimes to usually), the risk of high blood pressure increased 40%.

Naps themselves probably aren't the real problem. Instead, people often nap because they don't sleep well at night — and poor or insufficient sleep is a risk factor for high blood pressure and other heart problems.

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